The Port of Oakland is "very interested" in turning a shipping terminal into the future home of the Oakland A's, but warned that a stadium plan will face bureaucratic and environmental hurdles.

If the potential obstacles can be overcome at Howard Terminal, a stadium could be constructed within five years, Omar Benjamin, the port's executive director, wrote this week in a letter to city officials.

The 51-acre terminal, located a few blocks north of Jack London Square, has emerged as one of Oakland's two most viable sites -- along with the Coliseum complex -- for keeping its baseball team. The terminal is entirely publicly owned, making it easier to fast-track construction, and is favored by both business leaders and baseball officials because it is much closer to the city center than the Coliseum site.

Stadium boosters envision putting a ballpark at the terminal along with restaurants and shops that would complement Jack London Square.

With A's owner Lew Wolff determined to move his team to downtown San Jose, Oakland needs to show baseball officials that it too has a viable site for the team that could persuade baseball owners against pursuing the very touchy subject of rescinding the San Francisco Giants' territorial rights to San Jose.

The terminal's current tenant, SSA Terminals, has sued the port over its lease, which expires in 2017. Benjamin wrote that if both parties can agree to settle the matter, the port would have to look at nonmaritime uses for the terminal.

However, Benjamin noted that the waterfront site is subject to the Tidelands Trust, meaning the State Lands Commission could require a land contribution to the trust. Also, the terminal site is contaminated, which would likely add to stadium costs and require approval from state environmental agencies.